


Efflorescence

by Actually_undead



Category: K-pop, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Angst, Cello, F/M, Fluffish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-22
Updated: 2017-06-22
Packaged: 2018-11-17 04:14:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11267721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Actually_undead/pseuds/Actually_undead
Summary: Jihye grew up, loving the cello and everything about it. Her and her father lived and breathed it together, until her father died. After that, she locked her cello away and never wanted anything to do with it again, that was until she found a boy playing cello one day.-I've posted this before on my tumblr, don't be alarmed this is not copyrighted-





	Efflorescence

One of the most enthralling things to her was the way cello vibrations in the air made her fingers numb. The way the cryptic, low notes would fill her soul with overflowing emotions. There was just something about it that drove her to an emotional overdrive. Yet she couldn’t grasp the notes herself, couldn’t move that bow on the wooden instrument between her legs properly. Jihye loved the cello, but the cello didn’t allow her to enjoy it as selfishly as she had hoped for.

As a young girl, Jihye had discovered Bach from her father. The first time she ever heard her father play the cello was when she was three, sitting on the floor with her small cat plushy. He played Bach’s prelude from his Cello Suite No. 1 almost flawlessly. Child Jihye was entranced by how his fingers moved, shifted up and down the spine, the vibrato making her very core fill with the unknow. Ever since then she’s been obsessed with the cello.

Right at the age of ten when she was at an acceptable size to start playing, it was obvious she was a natural. Her father couldn’t be more proud, his little girl shared his passion in life and was astounding at playing. The amount of hours the two would play together drove her mother crazy, having to practically drag them out of their little sanctuary. It was how they bonded; speaking through the notes of a cello.

However; at thirteen that all changed. Jihye’s father was diagnosed with lung cancer, stage three. It had spread to both of his lungs, the only option was chemo to prolong his life just a bit more. At first, nothing brought down the family’s spirits. They spent every waking moment together, creating memories that couldn’t be used to dwell in the sadness of her father’s awaiting death.

Six months into chemo, it started to deteriorate her father at a rapid speed. It was obvious that he was just a thread away from death, but he kept smiling for his little girl. The facade soon shattered one day when he tried to play that song for her again, but his body gave out nearly half way through the song. That’s when it became real; Jihye was going to lose her sunshine, her muse, her father.

Cello became a distant memory after her father passed away. Jihye shut up the music room with their cellos, refusing to step foot inside. She deleted every song she ever owned, erased the instrument completely from her life. As much as it filled her up with life, it seemed almost criminal to enjoy something without the person who showed her the beauty in it. The mere sound of the cello almost sent her in tears, giving her a crippling fear of waiting room music. Soon it became nearly impossible to avoid it, and eventually it just became another monotone sound to her.

That was; until now.

Jihye was walking through the hall that contained the practice rooms, free for students to use. Normally it contained loitering students who just wanted to skip, but on rare occasion she’d see singers, pianists, or aspiring bands collecting in these rooms. Never had she seen a member or the orchestra trapped in one of these rooms, a blessing in disguise. Since the art was dying amongst youth, Jihye was never too worried about finding that tune in these halls. She was safe.

As she was looking for a place to settle in, the sudden flow of music through the atmosphere made her stop in her tracks. It was that distantly familiar Bach song, the one she had avoided specifically. Who on earth could be playing this? In high school? It sounded so authentic, like Bach himself was playing it just beyond these walls.

Memories flooded Jihye as she listened, her hand clasped over her mouth, eyes shutting tight. She pressed her forehead against the wall, trying to stop the flow of tears that suddenly built up inside of her. The moment was bittersweet; the music had filled her soul and reminded her why she so dearly loved the cello, yet this tight pain was felt throughout her heart. Subconsciously, she had linked these notes with her father, with his life. She had put this song to rest the day her father was buried beneath the ground, his song never to be heard again.

The song had ended, making Jihye take in a sharp breath with a small hiccup. She wiped her eyes and looked through the windows to find this cellist, this beacon of amazing talent.

A boy sat in a chair in the center of the small room. His cello was placed on its side on the floor, bow on the stand as his hands delicately flipped through pages of sheet music. His skin looked soft and delicate, cheeks puffed out slightly. The light brown tint of his fluffy hair made his face seem much more younger, yet his structure seemed so much more than what he presented himself as. The school uniform he wore was a bit messy, his tie loosened, jacket laid out on the back of his chair. His eyes suddenly flickered up to the window, gazing at the teary eyes Jihye.

Startled, caught in her eavesdropping, Jihye booked it. She ran down the hall, only to hear the door open and they boy calling out to her. Yet she didn’t bother stopping, bother with learning who this boy was. It was only going to bring back the pain she finally got rid of.

So she ran and didn’t look back.

-

Jihye was sitting in one of the practice rooms for some peace and quiet, drinking coffee and listening to music. Her feet were propped up on a chair, eyes focused on the plain, white wall before her. Whenever she felt like she needed to brood over something, she’d come here. Although she swore to herself never to play cello again, being in the environment of music never failed to calm her nerves.

Since she had listened to that boy and ran away from him; she felt off. It seemed like the cello was following her everywhere now, creeping up in the least expected places. It was like she was drowning in shallow waters, easy to live but the water just fills up your lungs. Jihye wanted to forget, escape. She didn’t want to remember how cello made her feel, yet that boy seemed to have triggered something within her.

Just yesterday, she found herself standing in the room she locked up tight after her father’s death. Jihye had stood there for a good thirty minutes before she felt like she was suffocating from the memories laced within the walls of that room. Her eyes never left the cellos that rested on their stands, a thin layer of dust on them. It was as if she was looking at her father’s corpse, seeing his cello look so unloved and mistreated because of her actions.

Her eyes stayed on the wall as her teeth mindlessly nibbled on the straw of her drink, pondering her woes. However, a hand on her shoulder made her jolt, sliding her feet off the chair and turning to look at the person. An immediate peach tint took residence on her cheeks as she looked up; it was him. Jihye slipped her earbuds out, clearing her throat. “S-sorry, I’ll leave..” She mumbled, quickly gathering up her things before he could recognize her.

“Hey, aren’t you that girl who was stalking me?” The boy asked, gently grabbing her wrist so she could pull away if she wanted. “You were crying, right?”

Jihye bit her bottom lip as ashe looked up at him, carefully pulling off his hand from her wrist. “I wasn’t crying…” She mumbled, clutching her bag to her chest and putting her coffee on the ground. “Maybe it was the lights or something, you know?”

Clicking his tongue, the boy smirked and shook his head. His arms crossed against his chest while he peered down at her. “You were totally crying. I don’t know why, I was just playing around with music.” His hand reached up to his hair and lazily fixed it. “Do you even know what I was playing?”

“Bach.” Jihye didn’t hesitate to answer him. “It was his prelude. Maybe try not to be a smart ass and give me the benefit of the doubt.” She gathered herself and stood up, throwing her strap over her shoulder and grabbing the cup. “Have the room to yourself, I’m not playing anything.”

“Do you see my cello with me? I’m not either.” He gestured around the room before looking back down at her. “Come on, sit down and talk with me. Not many people know who Bach is, let alone cry over his music.” He pulled up the chair she was using for her feet up next to the original chair. The boy sat down in the chair as if he already knew she was going to stay, then looked up at her with a small smirk.

Jihye scowled lightly at the arrogant boy, but complied and sat down, dropping her bag back down on the ground. “Why do you want to talk to me? I don’t even know who you are, you could be some pervert who profiled me and decided to trap me here.” Her lips wrapped around the straw again, biting the tip as her eyes peered into his.

“My name is Jungkook, and even if I did want to do that you would’ve easily escaped. Now what’s your name, crybaby?” He asked, stuffing his hands in his pockets while gazing at her.

Huffing, she then sipped her coffee and put the cup down on the floor. “My name is Jihye, and I do not cry.” She waved a finger in his face obnoxiously, then settled back in her chair. “Great, we’re best friends now. Can I leave?”

Jungkook shook his head with a chuckle. “Stubborn. How did you know what I was playing?” He placed his backpack between his legs then started rummaging around in it. Noticing she was watching him, he glanced up and rolled his eyes. “I asked a question, Jihye.”

“I was a cellist.” Jihye said gently, furrowing her eyebrows as she watched him.

Pulling out a stuffed folder and a soda, Jungkook raised an eyebrow. “Past tense, why?” He opened up his soda and drank from it, delving into his folder and pulling out many music scores.

“I just don’t play anymore.” She shrugged her shoulders and looked down at his music. Jihye noticed many pieces she knew, then snatched his folder out of his hands. “Le Cygne, Intalienne, lots of concertos I see… Do you do competitions?” Jihye looked up at him, organizing his music for him. “You played that Bach piece precisely.”

Jungkook shrugged a bit, his cheeks turning pink. “Sometimes, it’s mostly my grandparents who give me these. It’s something to do, you know? It’s just a hobby.” He sipped on his drink again, eyes drifting out the window.

“How can you say that?” Jihye said, leaning forward slightly while holding the folder against her chest. Never had she heard someone refer to their talent as a ‘hobby’. A hobby is something like scrapbooking, not making music, art, something that fills your soul. Cello was her life, she lived and breathed it. Never had she even considered it something as menial as a god damn hobby. “Doesn’t it fill you with life when you play?”

“No, it doesn’t. I learn the music, perfect it, then move on.” Jungkook started sounding irritated, eyes focused on the mirror. “You stopped playing, so I don’t really think you have room to criticize me.” His glare flickered over to her, lips pressed together.

Jihye placed the folder on his lap and sat in her chair for a moment, then grabbed her bag. “The bell is about to ring, we should get going.” She muttered, putting the straps over her shoulders before reaching down to grab her nearly empty cup.

“So I’ll see you here tomorrow, right?” Jungkook asked, flipping to a smile as he placed his belongings back into his bag.

Looking back at him with a glare as she was about to exit, Jihye answered him. “Sure.”

-

“Come on, you need to help me.” Jungkook pleaded as he trailed behind Jihye in the hallway, almost like a lost puppy. “My grandad said I play too monotoned, I don’t have expression or..what was it..passion.” Catching up to her side, his head cocked to the side so he could see her face. “I mean you probably suck but you have that passion in you somewhere in that cold, dead heart.”

Jihye slapped his arm with a groan. “I told you, I don’t play anymore. I..retired.” She pouted out her bottom lip, sighing as she found herself in the front of their designated practice room. It was kind of ironic, even though she wanted to avoid the cello for so long, in just two weeks Jungkook had her listening to it, evaluating his playing, but she herself hadn’t played.

Jungkook groaned loudly, opening the door for her. “We’re eighteen, you can’t retire if you haven’t even played for more than ten years.” Once he practically shoved her into the room, he grabbed a seat and took off his cello from his back, starting to take it out its case. “You don’t even have to play, just tell me what to do.”

“How am I supposed to tell you how to play with emotion? You have to feel it in your heart, not by..industrialized instruction. Music is supposed to be a form of freedom, and somewhere along those lines you seem to have misunderstood.” Jihye settled down in the chair a respectable distance away from him so he would have enough bow room. “Let me just look at what you have to play and then play it for me.”

As he placed the pages of music on his stand, she already knew what it was. Maisky Schumann’s cello Concerto, a well renowned composer. The song itself was about nine minutes long, which could emotionally and physically drain anyone. Quite a difficult piece, especially to someone who doesn’t feel when they play. “I hate to break it to you, but maybe you should consider changing songs…” Jihye said softly, looking over at him.

Jungkook stubbornly plucked his C string, pouting out his bottom lip. “No, I’ve learned most of it already and the competition is next month.” He quickly tuned his instrument, only twisting a fine tuner on every other string before running the bow hairs over all of them, smiling to himself a bit. Jungkook then looked over at Jihye with a sigh. “Come on, just try to help me, okay?”

Her eyes looked over into his dark eyes, which always reminded her of coffee beans. Seeing his pleading look holding onto his polished bow, she just caved. “Alright, play for me.”

Smirking to himself, Jungkook nodded and turned over to the music, getting ready. “Turn the pages for me.” He stated, and not a moment later, he started playing.

It was no joke, he really didn’t have much emotion while playing. Of course, she’d witnessed this before, however not to this extent. His face wasn’t relaxed, his eyes stared blankly at the notes he played flawlessly. Everything seemed so calculated, robotic. Even his vibrato lacked in enthusiasm, soul. It was actually kind of hard to watch, seeing someone play something meant to be passionate so bleakly. Something inside Jihye seemed to break just a bit, maybe it was her musical spirit. The piece didn’t lift her, it brought her down under the ground.

Once he stopped playing, he dropped his bow to his side with a small breath. “So?” He gave a hopeful smile, his bunny like teeth sticking out.

“That was horrendous.” Jihye said blankly, looking up at him. “You looked like a machine, where is your sparkle?” She asked more sternly, yanking his bow out of his hand and pointing it to the music. “You play all the written necessities, forte, crescendo, sharps and flats. Yet you ignore these small italicized words that express what emotion you need.” Jihye sighed deeply, resting the bow on the stand. “Why don’t you think about something you love, huh? Something that you know will bring something out in you.”

Jungkook bit down on his bottom lip while his eyes looked down at the pages, like he was searching for something deep within those black lines and notes. “Something that I love..”

“Think of something, now play it again.”

-

Jihye stood at the doors of that familiar room, holding onto the handles while her forehead pressed against the hardwood. She could feel his breath on her neck, making the hairs stand up and her fingers tingle. All she wanted to do was retreat, hide away and forget this room, but she couldn’t. Why couldn’t he understand what a big deal this was?

“Are you having sex with the door?” Jungkook’s dumb, irritating voice chimed in behind her.

“Leave.”

“Sorry, sorry..” Jungkook mumbled, whining into his words.

Jihye pushed the doors open and was welcomed to the familiar smell, her father’s cologne and lavender. The cello’s were now polished, each set up by the chairs that accompanied each other with a single stand between them. She knew it was her mom who did all of this, probably just ecstatic that she was willing to do this, and share it with someone.

“Woah~ I want this one.” Jungkook automatically hovered to where her father’s cello rested, reaching out. His hand was immediately smacked away, making him cradle it against his chest with a huff. “Fine.” He settled for the other cello, which was also of high quality; however it didn’t give off the same feel as the one so dear to her.

Sitting down with a huff, Jihye took the cello off the stand and started tuning it, which seemed to be already decently tuned… My mother really went all out didn’t she? It felt so surreal, holding this cello. Only a handful of times did her father actually let her play, and yet here she was. There was so much Jungkook didn’t understand about this situation, but Jihye wanted it that way. She didn’t want pity, that uncomfortable silence, she just wanted to help him; and if that meant playing, then she’ll do it.

“Are you ready?” Jungkook’s voice brought her out of her little bubble, a soft hand on her knee. His eyes seemed curious, studying that lost look in Jihye’s face. He quickly licked his bottom lip and held the cello in place, sliding his hand away.

“Yeah, yeah..count off.” Jihye too got ready, settling the instrument securely between her legs, fingers gripping onto the bow and placing it on the string needed.

“One, two, three, four, one, two, ready, go.”

The vibrations Jihye felt from the string, traveling through the bow to her was electrifying. It had been so long since she felt like this, actually felt alive. This whole time she’d been abandoning her passion, she was as good as dead. Nothing brought so much joy, so much ebullience inside her like the cello did. It was as if a flame burst inside her while her fingers pressed against the strings.

Then, she noticed him. He’d completely stopped, eyes illuminated by her. His mouth agape, looking at Jihye play with every fiber inside of her. That’s when he understood; cello isn’t a hobby, it’s a way of life. Jungkook suddenly placed the bow back onto the string and joined in with her without faltering unison.

They played together as if one was a raven and the other the wind that supported it. Their bows moved together, playing the notes with such raw, passionate emotion. The room seemed so much more alive, like it had been waiting for this since her father’s death. Their notes were radiant, blossoming into something much more than sound that echoed through these walls.

This was their efflorescence.

With a final stroke of the arm, their bows were in the air and the song was finished. Their eyes met as they took in heavy breaths, wide smiles on both of their faces. Something happened between them in that moment, something redefining. Something wonderful.

“Jihye..that was amazing.” Jungkook said with his signature, dorky bunny smile. “If I had known you played like that I would’ve gotten you to help sooner.” He said with such enthusiasm, waving his bow in the air.

Jihye was about to speak, but she only blushed while setting the cello down on its stand and placing the bow on the music stand. “Right..” She felt almost lethargic, like the song sucked her very being out of her. Jihye ran her fingers through her hair as she took a deep breath. “I gotta..use the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”

Jungkook watched Jihye scurry out the room, nibbling on the inside of his cheek. What’s her problem? He decided to get a glass of water, so he ventured out the room and went to her kitchen he remembered passing by. Just as he walked in, he noticed a woman there making cookies.

The woman looked up and gave a soft smile. “Ah, you must be Jungkook, I’m Jihye’s mother.” She closed the oven door and went over to him, pulling him into a suffocating hug. Before he could resist, she pulled away and looked around him. “Where might Jihye be?” She asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Jihye went to the bathroom Mrs…” Jungkook trailed off, looking at the woman with a raised eyebrow.

“Min.” Mrs. Min gave a gentle smile as she looked off to the side, around where she’d assumed her daughter would be. “I missed her playing so much..you two sounded wonderful together.” She gave a gentle sigh, wiping her hands on her apron.

Jungkook took a seat at the table, looking up at her. “Excuse me, I’m sorry if this is too personal but…why did she stop playing? She never tells me anything.” He spoke with a small pout.

-Jihye slid down against the door of the bathroom while tears streamed down her cheeks, hands covering her eyes. There were so many memories going through her. She felt so light yet so heavy at once. Jihye didn’t want to let go, she wanted him so bad but he was slipping away from her fingertips and that terrified her.-

“Her father was the reason she even played in the first place.” Mrs. Min took a seat in front of Jungkook, handing him a glass of milk after she’d taken the cookies out of the oven. “She’d sit on that wooden floor for hours as a toddler and just watch her father play…then one day she started playing herself.”

Jungkook took the glass in his hands, sipping as he was entranced by the story. As a small milk mustache formed on his top lip, he spoke. “Where is her father now?”

-Jihye played the same moment in her mind over and over again, each time the picture and sound faded out a little bit more.-

“Princess… I want you to have my cello. Use it when you become the star we all know you are.” Her father’s hand reached out to her cheek, cupping it gently with his icy fingers. “I know you’ll take good care of it..” He looked so frail, as if death was already taking over him in these last few moments with his beloved family.

Mrs. Min paused for a moment, mustering up a bittersweet smile. “He passed away when she was thirteen. Mr. Min had lung cancer.” Her own hand cradled her cheek, a soft sigh coming from her red lips. “Jihye was absolutely destroyed. Locked that room up as soon as she got home from the funeral and erased the cello from her life completely.”

-Jihye looked at the wall blankly, her tears stopped, shaking reduced to a small vibration in her fingers. This was it. He was gone.-

“She hasn’t opened up those doors since, until about two months ago. She didn’t play, but she stood in there. It was like…she was telling the room she’d be back soon.” Mrs. Min’s fingers drummed on the wooden table, chuckling. “You may not realize it, but i really think you helped my Jihye. I never thought she’d pick up that cello again, but today she did, and I thank you for that.”

Just as her mother finished speaking, Jihye appeared in the kitchen. Her eyes fell down on the two, her mother smiling and waving as Jungkook turned around with a blank face. Jihye raised an eyebrow at Jungkook’s odd behavior, then walked over to the cookies. “Want me to put these on a plate?” She asked, already getting one out.

“Yes, thank you dear.” Mrs. Min said, then looked over at Jungkook with a wink.

-

Jungkook shifted restlessly in the bleak white room, cello on its side as he fumbled with his tuxedo. Tonight was the night, and he was so god damn nervous. This was a first for him, usually he never even broke a sweat before, during, or after a contest. It was almost like he knew he’d always win. Tonight was different, tonight meant something to him.

Jihye searched the halls for Jungkook, looking around helplessly. She knew he was nervous from the car ride over, and that worried her. Just as she had passed a room, she noticed the same silky hair and back tracked inside, sighing in relief. “Jungkook, are you ready? You play next.” Jihye reached out to touch his shoulder.

As he turned around, a gentle pink think covered his cheeks and ears while his eyes locked in with hers. There was a brief moment of silence between them before he smiled. “I’m fine..” His eyes looked down a bit, it wasn’t until now did he notice how beautiful she looked. How her flowy peach dress complimented her figure, how her soft brown hair cascaded her face and curled at the ends, how ethereal she looked as a young woman,

A small giggle left her lips as she stepped directly in front of him, palming at his tie. “You did a horrible job at this, dummy.” She loosened it and started it over for him. Just as she finished it up, her eyes looked up to meet his intense gaze, making her flush. “What?”

“You look amazing, Jihye..” Jungkook said in a quiet tone, then cleared his throat once she stepped away. He checked the clock on the wall, a sigh leaving his pink lips. “I have to go..”

Jihye bit her lip and suddenly wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. “I believe in you, Jungkook..” She whispered up to him, feeling his arms bring her closer, making her gasp. They stood there for about thirty seconds in a tight embrace, hearts pounding.

Jungkook pulled away slowly, then grinned down at her. “I’ll look for your dumb face in the crowd.” He teased, picking up his cello and bow before walking out the door without another word.

Clicking her tongue, she walked out after him and went in the other direction, then made her way out to the thin crowd of people. She sat with her mother, his grandparents two rows in front of them. There were soft murmurs amongst the people as they waited, but once the spotlight hit the stage, illuminating Jungkook, they fell into a deafening silence.

There was a brief moment before Jungkook started, and the whole atmosphere of the room changed. The breath left Jihye in seconds, her slender fingers pressed against her lips. This was a different Jungkook than she knew. He emitted so much ardor, his music filled with ecstasy. Eyes shut tight while the memorized notes flowed from his fingers to the bow, moving at such rapid speeds as if his breath fueled the music.

Jihye looked at him like he did the day they played together, mesmerized by his soulfulness. Her eyes stung as they watered up, this emotion she felt hit her in the deepest parts of her. What was this? She saw rays of baby pink and lilac in the darkness around him, it was such a strong sense of admiration coming from him.

The crowd watched this brief piece as if it lasted hours, and when it ended everyone snapped out of their admiring trance and clapped vigorously, giving him a standing ovation. Jihye jolted up and clapped until her hands turned red, blinking away the tears that threatened to escape her. She was so proud, but there was something else in her that almost made her heart hurt. As she sat down, she looked blankly at the now empty stage, her mother rubbing her back.

Only three more people played after Jungkook, but it was obvious who won. Nothing could compare to what Jungkook made, he left a piece of himself in everyone’s hearts with his performance. As the rest of the people played, Jihye’s mind seemed so far away, mindlessly biting her thumb. Her heart never stopped racing, her fingers felt numb. There was so much she didn’t understand, that she wanted to know yet she didn’t even know the questions to ask.

Finally, the host of the competition came out with a microphone and a bouquet of flowers, grabbing everyone’s attention immediately. “Ladies and gentleman! It is time to announce the winner of this years annual cellist gala competition!” The man boomed over-excitedly, smiling broadly out to everyone. “Tonights winner is…Jeon Jungkook!”

Everyone clapped politely, some much louder than others to express their admiration for the boys performance. Jungkook emerged from the velvet curtains, bowing to the crowd before walking to the man, taking the flowers from him. He waved with a small smile, then the microphone was pushed against his lips, making him take a step back.

“Tell me young man, what possessed you to play this piece with such vigor?” The man asked, leaning over just a bit, his smile hadn’t faltered yet.

Jungkook was about to speak, but broke into a shy smile. “I was inspired by someone. Before this competition, I didn’t know what passion was.” He paused, and his gaze fell on Jihye. “This person taught me that the cello isn’t a hobby; it’s a way of life. I will forever be grateful to her.” Jungkook smirked just a bit when her hand covered her mouth, then he looked at the man. “I’m very much in love with this person, and I wanted them to feel that through this song. That is why I chose this song, sir. For her.”

The crowd ‘awed’ and gave a polite clap, making the man whistle in the mic. “Well she must be a very lucky girl.”

Jihye felt silent tears rolling down her cheeks as she watched Jungkook on that stage, sparkling under the light as he held that bouquet to his chest. She knew now, it all suddenly fell into place, right on her lap. As soon as she saw Jungkook ushered back behind the curtain again, Jihye got up and shuffled away from the audience and hurried backstage.

She ran, searching for him. Her heart felt like it was going to explode, cheeks hurting from how much she was smiling. She loved him, and she understood now. Just as she turned a corner, he came into her view just a few feet away from her. Before she could even call out or take another step, his eyes caught hers and he had her in his arms in a matter of seconds.

As he held her around her waist, her hands cupped his cheeks and their lips met without hesitation. They kissed in such a gentle, loving way that made the hairs on their arms stand and their breaths diminished. His lips were so soft and tasted like strawberry chapstick, the scent she’d only every faintly known before now. It was so intoxicating yet so simple, maybe that was just because of her overflowing affection she felt in this moment.

When their breath ran short, they pulled away and looked each other in the eyes, both blushing and smiling.

Jihye brushed her thumb over his bottom lip, looking into his eyes. “I love you too.”

-

It was another saturday between the two, sitting on the couch in the music room, eating ice cream and cuddling. Jihye had her body up against Jungkook’s back, mindlessly scooping the ice cream out while they listened to a Bach record they regularly abused. His hands mindlessly combed through her hair, kissing the top of her head,

“I’m just saying, Bach is better than Beethoven..” Jihye said in a sing song voice, glancing up at him with a smirk.

“We aren’t doing this again.” Jungkook playfully flicked her forehead, ignoring her whine and licking at her spoon. “There’s an duet competition we have to settle on a song for and we won’t do that if you keep being stubborn.” He kissed her cheek as if it would better his hidden teasing, but she still puffed out her cheeks in annoyance.

Jihye put the carton of ice cream on the ground and turned, straddling his lap. She flicked his nose and smirked. “Bach is a guaranteed win, I rest my case.” Her fingers pushed his hair back with a satisfied hum, kissing his forehead gently.

Jungkook sighed and shook his head, wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her close. “You’re so persistent, you know that right?” He paused and finally smiled up at his girlfriend he adored so much, gently kissing her lips. “But I love you.”

“I love you too.” Jihye kissed him back, then kept it going with a small smirk.

After that night at his competition four months ago, her life seemed much brighter than the abyss she created for herself. Her world was much brighter and loved, all thanks to a boy she stumbled upon who played her most favorite thing in the whole world. Now they could play together, sharing their love between their life lines.

Both of them helped each other see a light that was dimmed so long ago.

They were each others efflorescence.


End file.
